Duplicate-whist table



(No Model.)

G'. s. BOUTWBLL. DUPLIGATE WRIST TABLE.

,No. 529,699. .Patented Nov. 217, 1894.'

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NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE S. BOUTWELL, OF NEI/V BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.

DU PLlCATE-WH IST `TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 529,699, dated November 27, V1 S94.

Application stimmt 16, 1894..

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that 1, GEORGE S. BOUTWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of New Bedford,in the county of Bristol and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Card-Table Especially Adapted for Duplicate Whist; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the game to which it appertains to use the same.

Heretofore the game of duplicate whist has been played by means of eight trays, more or less, each individual player requiring to use two or more of said trays, or in other words each individual 'player using one-fourth of the entire number of trays in use in the game.

Theobject of my invention is to thoroughly simplifyand systematize the game of ,duplicate whist, by making my said duplicate whist table suftice for all the purposes thereof, taking the place of and doing awaywith the necessity of 'any and all appliances heretofore used for the purposes of said gaine. I attain these objects by means of a table' illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1, is a side view ot' the entire table. Fig'. 2, is a sectional view of the table bisected vertically through the center. Fig. 3 represents a top Iview of 'said table. Fig. 4, represents the receiving tray, a part of the said table.

Similar letters and numerals refer to similar parts throughout the severalviews.

More particularly, Fig. l represents a side-view of said table. ct represents the top of said table, the same being more fully illustrated byFig. 3. b' represents top pockets on table, as also more clearly appears by Fig. 3. ,c represents on the right hand a swinging receiver in position ready for play, and on the left hand a swinging receiver closed or swung under said table as when not in use, which makes same very convenient. d represents braces to the outer edge of said table, connecting same with lower revolving disk. e represents the standard which supports the table, at the top of which -is an upper stationary central disk represented by e, which supports and steadies the center of said table, being rabbeted for Serial No.l 503,863. (No model.)

that purpose, around which vsaid table revolves,which ,more clearly appears by Fig. 2.

upon which saidv table revolves' about the standard, being connected with said lower revolving disk by means of aforesaid braces. g represents the leg's.

Fig. 2 representsa verticalhalf-section. 6o

e represents post or standard; and e represents top stationary central disk and rabbeting on which center of table bears and revolves. f represents the lower revolving disk. post. h represents hollowin center of top stationary central disk. The other parts of Fig. 2 have already been mentionedabove in connection with Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 represents a top view of said ta- ,7o

hrepresents hollow or circular depression in 8o the center ofsaid top stationary central disk.4 The numbers 1, 2, 3, in connection with the pockets, represent sets of three distinct pook-- ets to a set on vfour sides of the table. Same can be constructed to accommodate one o r 85 more packs of cards or deals.

Fig. 4 represents swinging receiver detached from table. .Said receivers are four in number, and swing when in use so as to place the receiver proper in such a position 9o that it projects slightly beyond the edge ot the table; and in that position it is convenient for use Without beingiu the convenient.

As to construction, the table represented in 9 5 the illustration is a twelve deal table.

bles may be made of greater or less capacity than the one illustrated, upon the same principle. The legs may be made of any suitable material and in any suitable design. to make table of wood designed as in illustration. The central post or standard is firmly l y n joined to the top central stationary disk with glue or other fastening, said disk being rabf represents lower revolving disk,

g represents legs fastened toV represents the top pockets themselves.

I prefer 1o n beted on the bottom side for the purpose of. steadying the top of said table; and the lower revolving disk being loose allows the table, to which said lower disk is attached by braces, to turn freely about said top stationary central disk and about said standard; and the said lower revolving disk rests on shoulders contrived for that purpose t at the bottom of the post or standard. The braces are attached by glue or other fastening to thelower side of the table proper near the edge of the same, and to the outer edge of the lower revolving disk. Thus, by the combination of the shoulders at the base, the rabbeting from the upper stationary centraldisk,and the braces referred to, the table is enabled to turn freely and at the same time be firm and free from oscillation. `As the swinging receivers, (as to the other parts of said table also,) they may be made of any suitable material; but I prefer to use wood in the construction of the various parts of the table, following the design indicated in the illustration. Said swinging receivers may be fastened by screws or other fastening, so as to swing when in use into a position projecting slightly beyond the edge of the table, and when not in use to swing in out of sight. As to the top, it can be made in various ways; but I prefer to make the top of my said duplicate whist table according to the general design indicated in the accompanying illustration. Reference has already been made to top stationary central disk, with observations as to its attachment to standard and rabbeting for purposes of revolving top. Said revolving top has openings cut out of the edge thereof for the purposes of the top pockets, designed in each case to accommodate three pockets as in illustration. Space for the pockets having been cut out, the bottoms of the same are screwed or glued or otherwise fastened underneath the table; and the bottom of said pockets having been thus placed, partitions are mortised in to separate the openings which have been cut as aforesaid into proper compartments for the purpose of accommodating various packs of cards or deals.

By means of my duplicate whist table, the game of duplicate whist is played as follows: Twelve packs of ordinary playing cards are used, the backs of the respective packs being diiferent in color or design for the purpose of distinguishing them. Thirteen cards from each pack are in turn placed in the respective top pockets. For example, thirteen from one pack are placed in each of the pockets numbered 1, which exhausts that pack, four times thirteen being fifty-two; and thirteen of another pack are placed in all the pockets numbered 2, which exhausts that pack; and thirteen of another pack are placed in all the pocketsnumbered 3, which exhausts that pack. y It therefore takes three packs to supply all the pockets with one hand or deal of thirteen cards. The remaining packs are similarly distributed in sets of thirteen; making four of such sets in each pocket, or fiftytwo cards, when the twelve packs are so distributed. Each player has three of such pockets before him. There are four players. The sets of thirteen cards distributed as above from the respective packs for the respective pockets, are placed therein at right angles for the purpose of distinguishing them. The respective pockets opposite the respective players expose cards the backs of which are similar in color or design, belonging to similar packs. The first player takes up a set of thirteen from pocket No.1. Other players take corresponding hands. As to the playing of the hand,and the shutiing of the respective packs before dealing in the first instance into the top-pockets as above, there is nothing peculiar. The hand is played as in ordinary whist, the usual rules of whist prevailing. In playing each player plays his cards in front of him, count being kept with the index-counters they being four in number. After it is played each player takes up his hand again, and places it in the swinging receiver, which is by him for the purpose. The other hands in the respective pockets numbered 1 are played similarly, the respective hands so played being also retaken when played from the table and placed in the respective swinging-receivers at right angles to one another for the purpose of distinguishing them. When the four sets or hands from the respective pockets numbered 1 are all played out, they are taken from the respective swinging receivers and put back into the respective top-pockets numbered 1, the order of said deals or hands having been reversed in course of transition from table to swinging receiver. A similar course of proceeding is followed with respect to other top pockets numbered 2 and 3, until the twelve packs or all the pockets have been played out once. The duplicate whist table is then revolved one-fourth of its circumference, so that the respective players are each confronted with a new set of top pockets. Then the respective pockets 1, 2 and 3 are again played out as before, the sets or hands having been reversed as indicated. This latter round or play is the duplicate game.

The striking advantages of my duplicate whist table are that my revolvingtop of table does away with the necessity of any trays for the several players. With my table each player has his full complement of deals immediately at hand. This table also does away with the necessity of placing any tray or placing ones deals in any relation to the points of the compass, all index lingers and similar contrivances being rendered superfluous in using my table. The numbering of the pock` ets, 1, 2, 3, plainly indicates ata glance whose lead it is. The central disk being stationary in the center of my table, the respective players are always seated opposite to their index counters; and though the top of my table revolves, the relative position of the IIO players to their respective index counters always remains the same. As already suggested, the use of index counters does away with the necessity for using chips or similar counters. The cards or deals always being ready, placed as they are in their proper pockets, the game is always ready to be played immediately without any trouble in the Way of preparation therefor. Moreover while other appliances are adapted exclusively to the game of duplicate whist, my duplicate whist table can also be used for plain whist and indeed it makes a suitable table for the purposes of any game of cards and as such is generally convenient aside from the game for which it is especially designed.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

ln a duplicate whist table, in combination, a stationary central disk firmly mounted at the top of a central post or standard and rablbeted. for the purpose of steadying a revolving top, index counters surmou nting said stationary central disk, a revolving top revolving freely about said stationary central disk, top pocketsin said revolving top, swinging receivers under said revolving top when open projecting slightly beyond the edge of same, a lower` revolving disk attached to said revolving top by means of braces and resting on shoulders contrived on the standard for that purpose, all substantially vas set forth above for the specific purpose of the particular game of duplicate whist.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 14th day of March, A. D. 1894.

cnc. s. BoUTwELL.

Witnesses:

ALFRED WILSON, EDITH V. KENDALL. 

